"Go Barging" Trims the Decks with Boughs of Holly

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Europe's Largest Luxury Barging Company Offers Timeless Christmas and New Year's Excursions Through England and Scotland

NEW YORK, NY - September 20, 2006 - For those seeking a storybook way to celebrate the holidays far from the madding crowds and the over- commercialized celebrations, the best gift of all is a leisurely cruise aboard the luxury "floating hotels" of Go Barging. Let an attentive crew "give unto you" as you are wined, dined and pampered on cruises that capture the enchantment of a gentler era of traditions, and which help you get in touch again with the true meaning of the holidays.

Go Barging, the largest luxury barging company in Europe, offers three all- inclusive holiday cruises: a 10-day voyage along England's historic Middle Thames River departing December 24; and a 3- and 4-night charter cruises through the legendary lochs of the Scottish Highlands.

Passage to History and Tradition
"Barging" the inland waterways of Europe is quickly becoming the preferred way to travel among clued-in globetrotters who are eager to slow the pace of their journeys and make every moment count. It is one of the most comfortable and intimate ways to see the scenic wonders of Europe. For the holiday season, nothing comes closer to capturing the true spirit of "Christmas Past" than a 10-day/9-night cruise aboard the opulent Magna Carta as it sets out from London to Henley-on-Thames on Christmas Eve.

The 8-passenger Magna Carta is one of the finest vessels cruising the British Isles. Her rich mahogany and teak detailing complement modern appointments such as heated flooring, color TV/DVD and exceptionally spacious en suites.
Picture windows allow guests to soak up gorgeous vistas of the Royal River.

Christmas highlights include a candlelit reading of "A Christmas Carol," a glorious holiday feast and a shore excursion to Westminster Abbey for Christmas Day services.

The Magna Carta cruises through picturesque Richmond, past the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew and up to Hampton Court Palace, home to King Henry VIII and reputedly haunted by his fifth wife, Catharine Howard. Along with Hampton Court, other land excursions include the Magna Carta Memorial; Savill Gardens, part of the Crown estate; and Windsor Castle, the royal home and largest inhabited castle in the world.

Against a backdrop of ever-changing scenery, the secrets of medieval villages and their holiday celebrations reveal themselves. The cruise features an exquisite New Year's Eve dinner and a Gala Captain's Farewell Dinner.

Price per person, based on double occupancy, is $7,950 all-inclusive. Prices do not include air fare. The Magna Carta is also available as a full ship charter.

Scottish Getaways
For discerning travelers seeking a more intimate holiday itinerary, Go Barging also offers two whole-boat charter options aboard the Scottish Highlander.

The 4-night Christmas Cruise departs December 24 from Inverness and promises a holly, jolly celebration with live onboard music and a gourmet Christmas feast. Over the next few days, the Scottish Highlander cruises past legendary castles and across the fabled Loch Ness, where guests have a chance to search for "Nessie." The Christmas cruise charter aboard the lavish floating hotel is $17,000 all-inclusive for up to 8 passengers.

Go Barging's "Hogmanay" Cruise - the ancient Scottish New Year's celebration - on the Scottish Highlander inaugurates 2007 in high style. The 3- night excursion departs from Inverness on December 30. Guests can tee off at Fort Augustus Golf Course, where the "official" greens keepers are sheep!
They can also venture to Moniack Castle wineries and cruise across Loch Ness. Hogmanay festivities kick off New Year's Eve with a traditional Scottish dinner followed by a fireworks celebration at Inverness Castle. The all- inclusive New Year's Eve Cruise charter is $14,000 for up to 8 passengers.

"Spending the holidays on a luxury barge, cruising the quiet countryside, is an ideal way to decompress and escape the pressures and commercialization of the modern-day holiday season," said Derek Banks, CEO of Go Barging, a subsidiary of European Waterways. "Barging lets guests experience the things that really count: nature's beauty, exquisite cuisine and the company of loved ones. It's the best gift people can give others - and themselves."

All prices are for the cruises only and do not include airfare.

About Go Barging
Go Barging is a subsidiary of European Waterways, the largest luxury barging vacation company in Europe, offering vacations in nine countries and carrying approximately 1,700 passengers a year. Founded over 30 years ago, the company designs, builds, owns and operates a private fleet of luxury barges with exclusive cruises in France, Scotland, England, Ireland, Holland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Belgium, and Germany. Pioneers in barging, they were the first company to put a barge on the upper Nivernais, and the "real" Loire Valley. They are also the only company with a barge in Scotland and in the Venetian lagoon, as well as the first company to offer an Avignon-to- Amsterdam 6-week trans-Europe cruise, a thousand mile journey along Western Europe's inland waterways. For more information, pricing and cruise schedules, contact European Waterways at 800- 394-8630 or on the web at http://www.gobarging.com.

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